Breaking Up with the Modern Farmhouse Trend
7 Reasons to Ditch the Outdated Modern Farmhouse in 2021
The modern farmhouse trend saw a rise to popularity in the 2010s, largely thanks to Chip and Joanna Gaines. The Magnolia brand began blooming in Waco, and soon this small Texas town became the design center influencing the architecture and interiors of homes across the country. The modern farmhouse trend has been seen in LA mansions, New York apartments, and down the aisles of Target. However, as we move into the next decade, it may finally be the time to put this trend out to pasture where it belongs.
Our architects have seen their fair share of modern farmhouse renovations and new construction projects at our Austin, Texas design firm. Now, we are seeing homeowners reevaluate their lifestyles and aesthetics. Families are embracing styles that focus on creature comforts, customization, and unique personality, leaving the trendy white modern farmhouse for cozy cottage-inspired spaces, maximalist decor, and rich color palettes.
Here are the top 7 reasons our architects think it’s time to move on from the modern farmhouse trend, which is quickly going out of style in 2021.
1. Unrealistic Black and White Color Palettes
The modern farmhouse is grounded by a simple and minimalist black and white color palette. While it was embraced for its clean look, this unfunctional trend is on the way out in 2021. An all-neutral color theme’s restrictions are unrealistic for daily living, banishing prized collections, gifts, and colorful trinkets to storage boxes. Now, homeowners are embracing color, personality, and visual comforts that dare to color outside the lines – our latest designs feature expanded color palettes, offer more custom display space, and provide unlimited potential for mixing and matching personal collections within the scheme.
2. Zero-Privacy Barn Doors
The barn door is only made for one space – the barn. Barn doors have become trendy add-ons and space-saving solutions for the modern farmhouse, but they lack a few essential features that doors should have. They do not provide any barrier for sound, light, or odors, which means there’s no privacy between the divided rooms. Homeowners are now opting for more functional room divisions, like pocket or traditional doors, suggesting the modern farmhouse barn door trend is done.
3. Chaotic Open Shelving
Farmhouse kitchens have been defined by white cabinets, farmhouse sinks, and open shelving. While open shelving can be beautiful when properly styled, it lends itself to clutter and insufficient storage in tight spaces. In our Austin, Texas design studio, our architects are seeing kitchen trends featuring darker cabinets with solid panels and minimal hardware, offering concealed storage for all the necessary kitchen gadgets needed to prepare a delicious meal at home.
4. Heavy Matte Black Fixtures
The modern farmhouse style often features all-white rooms with heavy matte black fixtures. For example, a kitchen will be finished with white cabinets, white quartz counters, and accented with a black faucet or cabinet hardware. A white shiplap living room will typically feature white furnishings and a black chandelier. This design scheme immediately draws the eye to the black fixtures rather than allowing the eye to travel across the room. The small black accents start to dominate the space instead of working together with the other decor elements. This can make the room feel disjointed. We’re ditching matt black for the next trend in home design, which favors metallic fixtures and mixing metals like gold, chrome, and even brass. Finishes like these work more cohesively with other design and architectural elements instead of hogging the spotlight for themselves.
5. Surplus of Shiplap
Shiplap has become so overused in the modern farmhouse style that it has begun to feel more like a buzzword than a design element. While original shiplap can be a beautiful wallcovering, it doesn’t always make sense for the function of the space. For example, a kitchen or bathroom may be better suited for a tile wall that will offer style and durability. Homeowners are expanding their horizons to consider other decorative wall coverings like brick, paneling, wallpaper, and even upholstery for sound insulation.
6. Lack of Suitability
Suitability in architecture refers to the design being appropriate for the person, purpose, or situation. The final design of a home should be functional to the user and cohesive with the environment. A raised beach house with wraparound porches and storage space for a boat is suitable for a coastal property but would not suit an urban downtown environment. Similarly, a modern farmhouse is ideal for the farm but lacks cohesion in penthouse apartments, historic Colonial estates, and California bungalows. When renovating an existing home or building a new home, it is important to design with the environment in mind. The modern farmhouse look was applied to many houses during its peak, where it feels at odds with the original style or location. An architect can help you blend architectural styles seamlessly or restyle architectural features to get the right look for your renovation.
7. Impersonal Copycat Style
In an oversaturated market, the once charming modern farmhouse has begun to feel impersonal. Mass-produced “rustic” items and copycat architectural features, like shiplap and barn doors, have been so overused that most modern farmhouses have begun to all look the same. When it comes to residential design, our Texas-based architects are seeing a shift away from following one single trend and a move towards the embrace of personal style. Homeowners are incorporating vintage finds, collectibles, and heirlooms at the center of their plans. We’re designing more custom built-ins for displays, placing more orders for unique cabinet or appliance colors, and blending together styles spanning across decades for rich and layered looks offering tons of individual personality.
Advice for Moving On From the Modern Farmhouse Trend
If you’ve made the choice to break up with your modern farmhouse, mourn the loss with a pint of ice cream. Then, remember that now is the time for you to discover your unique personal style and showcase it! One of our architects can help you redesign your home, ditch the trendy farmhouse elements you never liked, and even repurpose some features that you did.
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